Install NS2 (ns-allinone-2.35) on Ubuntu 11.04 for beginners

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1. Part I: Introduction

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This installation guide is on Linux Ubuntu 11.04 (download from here), and  uses ns-allinone-2.35 source file for NS2. I assume that you have the skill to install Ubuntu, so I skip this process, and focus on the installation of NS2 (step-by-step with commands).

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1. Part II: Install

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[Step 1]

Before install NS2, you have to install some essential softwares:

sudo apt-get install tcl8.5-dev tk8.5-dev

sudo apt-get install build-essential autoconf automake 

sudo apt-get install perl xgraph libxt-dev libx11-dev libxmu-dev

[Step 2]

Download NS2 source file  from from here.
Then you will get a file named “ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz“

[Step 3]

Unpack ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz to your home directory. (/home/stan is my home directory, you SHOULD change it to your own!)

tar -zxvf ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz -C /home/stan

[Step 4]

4.1) Modify the makefile (NOTICE: I use “vi” for an editor, you can use “gedit” instead)

vi /home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/otcl-1.14/Makefile.in

4.2) Change CC = @CC@ to CC = @CC@ -V 4.5

(For changing this because the gcc complier in Ubuntu 11.04 is version 4.5, however NS2 only supports gcc-4.3 below. NOTICE the V is capital.)

[Step 5]

Install NS2:

cd /home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35

sudo ./install

[Step 6]

6.1) Modify  .bahrc

vi /home/stan/.bashrc

6.2) Go to the last line and add the scripts below:

export PATH=$PATH:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/bin:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/tcl8.5.10/unix:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/tk8.5.10/unix

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/otcl-1.14:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/lib

export TCL_LIBRARY=$TCL_LIBRARY:/home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/tcl8.5.10/library 

6.3) Enable the path setting:

cd /home/stan
source .bashrc

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# Verify
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which ns

If it shows /home/stan/ns-allinone-2.35/bin/ns,  it works!

Journal: 05-03-2011 (Sat)

[ Task ]

1. Read 3 articles.

   Status: 5 articles have been selected to read. Tselikis‘s [5] article is awesome.

2. Continue to finish Rong’s article

   Status: Done
   

[ Reading ]

1. Hwang, J., Son, S. W., & Rhee, B. H. (2008). Improving TCP performance over WiMAX networks using cross-layer design. Paper presented at the Third 2008 International Conference on Convergence and Hybrid Information Technology.

   Status: Not read yet.

2. Kim, B., & Tak, S. (2008). A communication framework supporting cross-layer design for wireless networks. Paper presented at the 2008 International Symposium on Ubiquitous Multimedia Computing.

   Status: Not read yet.

3. Ren, X., & Zhang, J. (2010). Review of the cross-layer design in wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. Paper presented at the Wireless Communications Networking and Mobile Computing (WiCOM), 2010 6th International Conference.

   Status: Not read yet.

4. Shui, D., Hui, W., Kin, V., & Lau, N. (2008). Distributive delay-sensitive cross-layer design for OFDMA systems. Paper presented at the Communications, 2008. ICC ’08. IEEE International Conference.

   Status: Not read yet.

5. Tselikis, G. (2008). Cross-Layer Protocol Design of a 3G-RNC Simulator. Paper presented at the Fourth Advanced International Conference on Telecommunications.

   Status: Still reading and making notes.

6. Rong, L., Ruimin, L., & Zhigang, C. (2010). Application of Cross-layer Design in Satellite Communication Networks. Paper presented at the 2010 2nd International Conference on Signal Processing Systems.

   Status: Summary (100%), Reflection (100%)

Journal: 01-03-2011 (Tue)

[ Task ]

1. Read 1 to 2 articles.

   Status: 1 article (48%), 1 article (30%)

[ Reading ]

1. Rong, L., Ruimin, L., & Zhigang, C. (2010). Application of Cross-layer Design in Satellite Communication Networks. Paper presented at the 2010 2nd International Conference on Signal Processing Systems.

   Status: Summary (80%), Reflection (0%)
   Todo: Reflection
   

2. Castaneda, H. D., Alasdair, O. M., & Vinckier, C. A. L. (2006). The Business Case for Enterprise-Class Wireless LANs. Indianapolis: Cisco Press.

   Status: Ch 1 (100%)
   Todo: Read Ch 2, Ch 4

Journal: 27-02-2011 (Sun)

[ Task ]

1. Designed the Annotated Bibliography file.

   Status: Cover page, outline of the paper.

[ Reading ]

1. Putra, E. H., Supriyanto, E., Din, J., & Satria, H. (2009). Cross Layer Design of Wireless LAN for Telemedicine Application. Paper presented at the 2009 Third Asia International Conference on Modelling & Simulation.

   Status: Summary and Reflection.

Advantage and Disadvantage of Web 2.0

SOMETIMES I’m thinking about is everything good about Web 2.0?

Everything has its virtues and shortcomings even though I’m studying and using this. For example, 95% of personal computer operating system on the earth is using Microsoft Windows, but does it mean the product is good? Well my point is not about this, my point is what makes us to use Web 2.0 and how we are pushed to use Web 2.0.

In general, the main advantage of Web 2.0 is that the information flows freely. Everyone can contribute and share the information or ideas without repression. In addition, people are able to receive information from various resources, not only the newspaper and TV anymore. It also means that people are receiving different concepts for one thing. Furthermore, the community makes the use of Web 2.0 growing rapidly. People use the communities to do the communication via the Internet, a variety of ideas, opinions, and news are shared between different countries and communities.

On the other hand, the drawback of Web 2.0 is dependence. For example, cloud computing (Web e-mail, Google doc, Facebook, Youtube) is the hot topic recently, and people and enterprises are currently using it. This means we are relying on the cloud computing vendors to run our business. What if the system crashes? What will happen to our business? How many loss we will have?

More specific example for is Google Gmail. The service has been crashed for a few times (see the news here), since many small/medium enterprises are using Gmail app for their e-email solution, some of enterprises have lost money because the hang of Gmail.

Frankly, the enterprise must think about a backup solution to prevent the loss of the disable Web 2.0 solutions.

The other concerning issue is sharing. Although one of the core values of Web 2.0 is to share things, what if the things are a copyright? Don’t people have to pay for it if they’ve shared or have been shared?

I think some of firms like the movie factories and music companies are gingerly utilising Web 2.0 tools. For example, we can watch videos and listen to music via Youtube, but they may be not authorised to be played by these firms. However, Roadshow Films has deployed a channel on Youtube as a way to broadcast their movies, especially it’s a free service.

To conclude, Web 2.0 is still being adopted from this world, and there are still so many things such as the ethics of Web 2.0 or the health impact of the Web 2.0 users to be concerned. Let’s challenging Web 2.0.

Another micro-blogging tools: Plurk

EVERYONE is just talking about Twitter, however it isn’t the only one micro-blogging tool.

I’m introducing you a different style micro-blogging: Plurk.
Twitter shows the messages like a stack, i.e the newest message comes on the top, while Plurk uses a timeline to show when the messages coming in.

This is how Twitter showing the message:

And this is how Plurk showing the message:

One of the features of Plurk is the timeline, a user can clearly see the time point of an event by the timeline chart as the picture shown. Yes I know that Twitter shows the date & time as well, but the way it shows is just shown on the bottom of the event. Well I can’t say which one is better, but to me, I prefer Plurk way. (because I’m lazy?)

Another difference is the responses. On Twitter, the responses that your friends sent to you can only be seen by you! You followers don’t know what other people have answered to you.

This picture shows the responses after the author posted a question:
(picture comes from the internet)

Plurk is different, you are able to know what others have answered:

This is captured from my Plurk account, ‘stanjuly’ is my username, and I can see my friend ulin’s responses from others. Also, others can see what my friends have answered to me as well!

So what means for this difference?

It means everyone can benefit from the whole conversation. NOT just you.
We may have some experiences that we found the answers from someone else’s Q&A, and we didn’t even post a question!
This is what and how Plurk makes the differences from Twitter. And I would say that Plurk’s conversation style towards to the concept of Web 2.0 more closely.

Try to use Plurk and you may find more interesting stuff.

A long waiting Youtube video

Have you waited a Youtube video streaming?

How long have you waited?

Well, this Youtube video seems will be loading forever…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

because this is a GIF picture……

Further example of a company using Web 2.0 – Eurocentres

Eurocentres is a global language school which located in 31 areas worldwide such as Australia, Japan, South Africa, Europe and the US.

For an educational organisation, sharing information and interacting with students are critical important. Eurocentres  is adopting a social networking  and video sharing platform to improve their business reputation as well as provide a platform for the students. The organisation is currently using Facebook (link here) and Youtube (link here) as their Web 2.0 tools.

Although Eurocentres has had an offical website, it cannot fulfil the organisation’s new business objective: Enterprise 2.0

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Firstly, Eurocentres has built a Facebook Page which owns 1,855 fans by 19 Oct 2009. The page contains several main items: Wall, Information, Boxes, Agenda, Photos, Reviews, Discussion, and About.

1. Wall
This field allows the organisation to post their own messages, and also allows the students/fans/guests to post message, comment and interact with each other …etc. There are too many functions can be used on ‘wall’.

2. Information
Eurocentres just simply places an offical website URL in here. But the organisation puts the introduction on ‘About’, and it is specified on #8.

3. Boxes
The use of boxes in Facebook is to store the Facebook applications (apps). Eurocentres places a video in this field.

4. Agenda
Eurocentres publishes the activities such as trip in this field. Tell the participants about what, when and where of the activities.

5. Photos
It contains the branches photos which come from the different locations worldwide. This also solve the need of photo sharing objective.

6. Reviews
The students (normally the graduated) are free to write and a review and to rate on this field. It can be a natural reference for the potential students.

7. Discussion
The students are also free to create a new topic to discuss with each other. The use is similar to a web forum. Eurocentres has started a few topics such as ‘Tell your thoughts, Visa information, and FAQ”.

8. About
Eurocentres posts the organisation’s introduction in here.

In addition, Eurocentres has also raised some events on Facebook, the function can collect how many people will attend the event and can be connected to the students’ wall.

I can see that Eurocentres is successful to adopt this social networking service. Because their fans (the graduated students) are still increasing everyday. This means that the students would like to keep in touch with the organisation even they are graduated. The further benefit is that it can be a way for the students to find their classmates. And then the community will become bigger and bigger.

§

Eurocentres also utilises Youtube Channel as its exclusive video stream centre.  The videos in here differ from the videos on Facebook. Eurocentres puts several promotion videos on Facebook, while they store a series of video called “Video Competition” which come from the different branches.  I think this is an good idea because the purpose of the videos should be separated. However, I feel the number of the videos is too short. It should provide more about the teaching in the class.

In conclusion, although Eurocentres is just using 2 services for adopting Enterprise 2.0, it is fair enough to their clients. This is probably because Facebook provides many useful functions to help the organisation to achieve their E2 objectives. And the benefit for the students who are already the member on Facebook is that they do not need to jump out to the other websites to be participated in multiple communities.

A 13-year-old American kid filmed himself in an Apple store – A thinking of personal branding

A 13-year-old American kid who filmed himself in an Apple store in NY by using iMovie. This kid is super famous now in the US and he has been invited by many TV companies.

Firstly please see this video:

The kid secretly used a camera in the store to clip himself; he played the song but he just simply simulated as a vocalist by various body motions, and then uploaded the video by using the store’s Internet.

I like this video (actually he has filmed several videos in the store) not only his talent of playing but also his ‘thief looking’. He looked at himself in the screen, then looked other people, and then filmed.  I think everyone may be familiar with these actions because many people have played  the camera in a 3C store. I can say that this video could not be fun if lacked these actions.

Moreover, you can see some of the audiences were looking at this kid. Some were laughing, some were confused, some called friends, and some do not interested in this. However, the kid continued to play and didn’t care about others. The faces on the video become the best background of this video.

This video gives me two thoughts:

1. Any camera is the chance to film you: CCTV and camera are everywhere, we may be filmed everyday and many places we don’t know. If we are able to get the videos, we may produce an interesting movie.

2. “Music + Natural Background” seems the formula of becoming famous: We can see so many hot Youtube videos which have the same element: music. Even the author just simply using a cheap camera (like a web cam) and proper music.

The natural is probably the best way to the personal branding.

Utilise Facebook’s high growth to assist the business

THE membership of Facebook is growing rapidly; according to checkfacebook.com‘s statics, the global members of Facebook has reached about 289 millions, and 6.8 millions members in Australia.

So, how does an organisation utilise this number?

If an organisation could properly use this community platform, the benefits such as cost down of R&D, increasing of attracting members, enhancing the efficiency of propaganda, and promoting community cohesion will be obtained.

There are 3 methods can be adopted to utilise Facebook to assist the business:

1. Facebook Page

The first step for the business is to implement its own Facebook Page to attract people. It is very useful to the business to initial the community and branding.  The advantages of this is based on the loyal fans that they can invite friends to visit the page. In addition, the business will be able to broadcast news to fans, and interact with them. (The figure shows a Facebook Page of a language school in Brisbane)

2. Facebook Connect (link here)

The second step to utilise Faceook is to integrate the ‘Facebook Connect’ with the organisation.

Three main benefits of Facebook Connect:

1. It allows the Facebook members to login to the organisation directly. In other word, it saves the users’ time to register a new account which is helpful to attract people.
2. Broadcast the members’ activities in the organisation website to Facebook. It helps the website branding.
3. Get the members’ friend list. This assists building the community and enhancing the interaction between the members and the organisation.

3. Facebook App (link here)

Finally, the organisation can packet its functions into an or more applications. The members can access the organisation’s website or services via Facebook without leaving it.